“If the current global trend of increasing CO2 emissions continues, cumulative emissions will surpass this limit (to avoid a 2-degree Celsius warming) within the next two decades.” — European Commission's Joint Research Center statement.

Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions rose by 3 percent last year, with the leading cause of global warming reaching an all-time high of 34 billion tons, according to a new report released by the European Commission.

While emissions within the European Union dropped by 2 percent and those in the U.S. fell by 3 percent, China’s industry and burgeoning car ownership created an increase of 6 percent in the greenhouse gas.

The commission’s Joint Research Center warned in a statement that if the current global trend continues, it will be impossible to reach the target of keeping global warming below a 2-degree Celsius rise by 2050.

The Chinese government says it has a goal of reducing its CO2 emissions per capita by 40-45 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.

But the country’s rapid economic growth has seen its emissions continue to skyrocket on the whole.

Australia remains the world’s greatest emitter of CO2 per capita, followed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.